Why Women Talk More Than Men

Ladies, do you ever get the feeling like you have a lot more to say than pretty much all of the men in your life? Well, according to a new study, that’s because you do. Actually, you have approximately 13,000 more words to say each day than your male counterparts.

The study cites higher levels of a language protein found in women’s brains when compared to men. It also asserts that girls learn to speak earlier than boys, lead…

Seriously, it’s been noted that generally speaking, males talk to convey information, while females talk to nurture relationships. I read somewhere that when men and women talk, a pleasurable brain chemical is released (serotonin or dopamine?), but its effects are blocked in men’s brains by testosterone, since males are the family’s protectors and therefore need to be more guarded.

The researchers extended their findings to humans in a preliminary study of Foxp2 protein in a small group of children. Unlike the rats, in which Foxp2 protein was elevated in males, they found that in humans, the girls had more of the Foxp2 protein in the cortex — a brain region associated with language — than age-matched boys.

“At first glance, one might conclude that the findings in rats don’t generalize to humans, but the higher levels of Foxp2 expression are found in the more communicative sex in each species,” noted Cheryl Sisk, who studies sex differences at Michigan State University and was not involved with the study.

Schrodinger’s Cat: I am curious how they know that this is a “language” protein?

How do “language” proteins differ from other proteins?

Has FOX been scammed? · 17 minutes ago

Yeah, poor oversimplification. Foxp2 is a transcription factor, so it’s important for the expression of other genes (300-400 of them, apparently). In this case, it functions mostly during development in the brain, lung, and intestinal tract. It’s heavily involved in regulating gene expression in the brain’s language center, and mutations in FoxP2 have been found in patients with speech disorders:

This gene is required for proper development of speech and language regions of the brain during embryogenesis, and may be involved in a variety of biological pathways and cascades that may ultimately influence language development. Mutations in this gene cause speech-language disorder 1 (SPCH1), also known as autosomal dominant speech and language disorder with orofacial dyspraxia.

And if that’s not enough technical rambling to kill the buzz around here. . .

Barkha Herman: I think the reason we talk so much is because you lot DON’T LISTEN!!! · 1 hour ago

Hehe…Barka, I used to sit and watch Cubs games with my grandfather. One time, when his wife was on a tear about something or other, he waited until she had left the room, then put his pinkie in one ear and twisted, then repeated the procedure with his other pinkie in his other ear.

He was turning down his hearing aids. When he was done, he settled back into the easy chair with an expression of pure bliss.